Process and apparatus for forming liquid-carrying containers



Nov. 14, 1950 E. H. LAND 2,530,306

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LIQUID-CARRYING CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 6, 1945 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 E. H. LAND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LIQUID-CARRYING CONTAINERS Nov. 14, 1950 Filed 001;. 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OM M Patented Nov. 14, 1950 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LIQUID CARRYING CONTAINERS Edwin H..Land, Cambridge, Mass, assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application October 6, 1945, Serial No. 620,743

Claims. (Cl. 93-3) This invention relates to a process and apparatus for forming liquid-carrying containers, and more particularly to a process and apparatus for forming liquid-carrying containers adapted for predetermined release of a contained liquid.

The general form of liquid-carrying containers produced by the process and apparatus of this invention comprises" an envelopeor sac-like structure consisting of a wall or plurality of Walls enclosing a central area substantially filled with a liquid, the said wall or walls being of a material or materials impervious to the contained liquid and preferably deformable for receiving an impressment to form a liquid-containable recess therein, for example, a metal foil such as a silver or lead foil or a coated metal foil such as a lead foil coated with polyvinyl butyral. The aforementioned construction of the liquid-carrying container is preferably such that upon application of mechanical stress thereto, as for example compression of said container Walls between a pair of sheet materials, the liquid may be predeterminedly released from the container and spread over predetermined interface areas of the said sheet materials. In use, it is 'contemplated that the aforementioned liquid containers may contain a liquid comprising a photographic reagent or reagents and may be employed in conjunction with a photosensitive layer of a photographic film and a suitable base material to perform any of the processes described in my copending applications Serial No. 539,550 filed June 9, 1944 and since abandoned, for Photo graphic Product, Process and Apparatus, Serial No. 561,696 filed November 3, .1944 and issued as Patent No. 2,500,421, for Photographic Product and Process, and Serial No. 576,254, filed February 5, 1945 and since abandoned, for Photographic Process, Apparatus and Product.

It is accordingly one object of thepresent invention to provide a novel process and novel apparatus for forming liquid-carrying containers from deformable sheet materials and liquids adapted for the uses above described. 7

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a novel process and novel means for combining and forming deformable sheet materials to provide liquid-retainable containers from which the liquid may bereleased in a prescribed manner upon the application of mechanical stress.

troducing predetermined quantities of a liquid into spaced recesses formed in a strip of sheet material, and a novel process and means for sealing the aforementioned recesses.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel process and novel apparatus 'to provide a novel process and novel apparatus for forming liquid containers of predetermined size, carrying therein specific quantities of a liquid and adapted for release of the said contained liquid to cover adjacent areas of sheet materials.

Yet further objects are to provide novel processes and apparatus for forming, introducing a liquid into, and sealing liquid-retainable containers embodied in a strip of sheet material, the

said material being adapted to serve as a base for photographic images, the enclosing wall or walls of the said containers being formed by the said processes and apparatus from materials impervious to the liquid contained therein, and the introduced liquid being a viscous liquid capable of chemically reacting upon predetermined adjacent areas of the said base strip and a juxtaposed photosensitive layer of film.

These and further objects of the invention will in part be obvious and Will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, and the process comprising the several steps, and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others which are exemplified in the apparatus and process hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a longitudinal perspective view of apparatus adapted for forming, as a continuous process, sheet material embodying liquid-carrying containers;

,Fig. 2 .is a schematic view in longitudinal crosssection illustrating the progressive development in form of the liquid-carrying containers produced by the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a completed base strip embodying liquid-carrying containers;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal perspective view representing a modification of the apparatus of Fig. 1 which permits theutilization of a different form of sheet material from that employed in conjunction with the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the liquidcarrying container taken substantially along the line 65 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal perspective view representing a modification of the apparatus of Fig. 4 whereby the utilization of a different form of sheet material from that employed in conjunction with the apparatus of Fig. 4 is permitted;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of one of the sheet materials employed in conjunction with the apparatus of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid container along the line 99 of Fig. 7.

With reference to Fig. l, a stock roll ll of suitable base sheet material is mounted on core l2 forming the supply of base material which, as illustrated, may be moved through the apparatus from left to right. From the stock roll, the base sheet 13 is drawn between pressure rollers l4 and i5, either or both of said pressure rollers being power driven to move the said. sheet at a predetermined linear speed, and the former roller serving also, if desired, to uniformly impregnate or coat the upper surface of the base sheet with a suitable reagent, as, for example, lead acetate, as by applying a liquid coating It of said material to said surface, said. coating being evenly transferred to roller 14. from tank H- by means of asuitable feeder I8. The said feeder extends substantially along the entire under surface of the tank, parallel to the. axis of roller l4. Rollers l4 and i5 are preferably surfaced with rubber or some other suitableresilient material. It will be understood that a base sheet material pretreated with lead acetate or having its surface otherwise coated or treated may be utilized. In such instances the elements illustrated, serving exclusively to apply a coating to a surface of the base sheet, may be omitted entirely from the apparatus with pressure rollers I4 and I5 being retained solely for their sheet-moving function.

Further referring to Fig. l, a bank of stock rolls [9 of suitable strip materials, for example a metal foil or coatedmetal foil, the same being mounted at predeterminedly spaced intervals on shaft 29, supplies strips of sheet material 2! which are to be formed into the under walls of the liquid containers. The said strips are drawn between idler rollers 22 and 23, the latter roller rotating, due to friction with the moving strips, in adhesive solution 2% contained in tank 25 and serving to apply a coating of the said adhesive to the under surface of the said strips. Thence the coated strips 26 pass through apertures of guide 21, the said apertures being so positioned as to insure that the strips are superposed on the base sheet, longitudinally of the said sheet and transversely spaced apart by a predetermined distance, and are firmly impressed upon the said base sheet by means of pressure rollers 28 and 25. The latter rollers may be surfaced similarly to pressure rollers I4 and l 5 and are rotated at aspeed whereby the base sheet and combined strips are moved forward at the same linear speed as, that at which the base sheet is moved by pressure rollers 14 and [5. Housing 30, having entrance and exit ports 3! and 32, respectively, and containing heated air introduced through inlet 33, or having other means for producing radiated and/or conducted heat, encloses pressure rollers 28 and 29 and serves to further the drying of the adhesive during the combining of strips 26 with the base strip. Housing 30 and associated heating elements may be eliminated provided the adhesive employed possesses sufficiently rapid hardening qualities to insure a secure bond of the strips between the pressure rollers. Fig. 2 shows in longitudinal cross section the above-described formation of the liquid container with respect to the supplying of strip 26, the application of adhesive 24 to the under surface thereof, and the combining of superposed strip 26 with base strip E3.

The combined sheet materials are subsequently drawn between deforming or embossing rolls 3 4, and 35 of Fig. 1, the said rolls. having male and female embossing dies 36 and 3,? on their respective surfaces. The embossing rolls form recesses or pockets 38 in the combined strips at equispaced intervals, also serve as pressure rollers, and are so powered as to further propel the combined sheets forward at the same linear speed as previously described pressure rollers. After their emission from the embossing rolls, the combined sheet materials are moved forward, causing the said recesses to pass beneath feeders. 39 spaced along the under surface of tank to at intervals according to the transverse distance. between recesses in the several strips, there being six such feeders in the illustrative apparatus of Fig. 1. While any portions of the said embossed recesses or pockets are thus positioned, a predetermined quantity ofliquid H for example a viscous liquid, may be released through the feeders to the recesses, for example by means of an intermittent valve device, schematically represented by star 42 and cam 43, it being understood that the cam is so poweredas to rotate properly with respect to the pressure. rollers. which move the sheets, and that the valve or valves may control pressure or other means. to facilitate the dispensing of the said liquid, Whiletheintermittent dispensing of liquid 41 to thesaid recesses may be a preferable method, means for permitting a steady flow of the said liquid to the combined strip areas and the subsequent removal of excess liquid from the areas surrounding the recesses bywiping and/or absorbing elements, not shown in the drawings, may provide a substantiallysimilar step in the process. Fig. 2 shows further stages in the development of the liquid container with respect to the formation of the recess 38 in the combined strips and the introductionof liquid 4-! thereinto.

A second bank of stock rolls of suitable strip materials of Fig. 1 such as a metal foil or coated metal foil, the said rolls being mountedsirnilarly to stock rolls l9, supplies strips of sheet material which are to be utilized in forming the cover or upper wall of the! liquid-carrying container. The said strips are drawnbetween idler rollers 45 and 4B, the latter roller rotating, due to friction with the moving strips, in adhesive so1ution 41 contained in, tank and-serving to apply acoating of the said adhesive to the under surface of the strips. Thence the coated strips 4.? pass through apertures of guide 50,, the said apertures being so spaced, transversely of the combined moving strips of sheet materials, as to insure that strips 49 are exactly superposed on the undercombined strips 5|. The said combined and superposed strips are then drawn between pressure rollers 52 and 53, the said rollers serving to combine strips 49 with the previously bonded strips. As illustrated, both upper pressure roller 52 and lower pressure roller 53 have recesses 5 and 55, respectively, in the surfaces thereof. It will be apparent that recesses 55 in the lower roll serve the purpose of preventing the application of pressure to the aforementioned liquid-containing pockets 38. Howevenrecesses 54 are not essential and are shown in Fig. 1 merely as means for obtaining a more positive application of pressure to the portions of the upper strips 49 which are combined with strips 5 I. An oven or housing, not shown, containing heating elements, similar'to housing 30, may enclose rollers 52 and 53 provided hardening of adhesive 41 makes the addition of such a means advisable. Either one or both of rollers 52 and 53 are powered and perform the additional function of moving the combined strips at the same-linear speed as previous pressure rollers. Housing 56 may be included in the apparatus to substantially enclose the ele ments represented as lying within the longitudinal dimension thereof. Within such a housing a cloud of gas, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide, may be contained, the said gas serving to inhibit the possible oxidation of the liquid d! in troduced into the aforementioned recesses or pockets 38, the said liquid being exposed prior to the covering and sealing of the said pockets. Fig. 2 shows stages in the development of the liquid-carrying container comprising the superposing and bonding of cover strip 49 carrying adhesive 47 upon the previously bonded strips.

From the above-described pressure rollers the combined strips of sheet material 5'! of Fig. 1, including therein sealed liquid-carrying containers and adjacent uncombined areas of the base strip, pass between rotatable cutting blades 58 and fixed cutting blade 59 comprising a rotary cutter assembly. The said rotatable elementsof the cutter are-power driven at a speed such that the moving strip assembly is thereby cut into strips, transverse of the aforementioned combined moving strips, in such manner that the fiat bonded areas of the said combined strips, lying between the liquid-containing portions 60 thereof, are-substantially bisected. The areas of uncombined base, strips 6! adjacent thereto are also transversely severed during the process, one from the other, and the complete cutting operation is therefore such as to produce strips containing a predetermined plurality of liquid-carrying con-- tainers and a predetermined plurality of base strip areas associated therewith. The composite strips thus formed are then carried forward, for example, by an endless conveyor belt 62, powered by a roller 53, the said belt carrying the strips at a linear speed substantially equal to that of the combined strips prior to the cutting operation. Firm contact between thecut composite strips and the said belt may be obtained by means of guides '64, positioned to exert slight pressure on the upper surfaces of the cut strips near their extremities, or by a second endless belt positioned to contact the said upper surface extremities of the aforementioned cut strips. The cut composite strips are thus carried forward and the liquid-carrying containers thereon may be brought into contact with liquid-impregnated applicators 65 and derive therefrom a sealing liquid coating 66, for example of polyvinyl butyral, a ,parafi'in-ethyl cellulose, mixture, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, which, as illustrated, is continuously fed to the said applicators from tank 61. Upon. conclusion of the latter process the composite liquid-containing strips are substantially completed and are propelled by the conveyor belt .to ramp 68 where they may be removed from the apparatus. Fig. 2 shows final stages in the formation of the liquid-carrying container wherein the elements 51 have been combined, the container 69 has been severed, and the sealing liquid coating 66 has been applied. It will be noted with respect to the completed strips that each liquidcarrying container thereof is associated with an individual area of the base sheet adjacent thereto to which it may be proposed, in usage, to spread the said liquid when released from the aforesaid container. It will further be evident that thesaid base sheet may serve simply as a carrier, throughout. the process, and that the aforementioned liquid-carrying containers may be stripped therefrom upon completion of the process, assuming that the first-named adhesive 24 is suitable for such a. procedure. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a completed base strip embodying liquid-carrying containers and being formed by the process and apparatus above-described.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, a modification of the apparatus of Fig. 1 is shown which permitsthe use of but one strip of material to form upper and lower walls of the liquid container instead of the two strips shown in Fig. 1, thesaid single strip being similarly superposed along the longitudinal axis of the base strip. It is to be understood, however, that a plurality of such single superposed longitudinal strips may be arranged transversely of the base strip as in Fig. 1. The said strip material 69 is supplied in a width approximately twice that of the corresponding strip in Fig. 1 Adhesive 10 is applied to approximately one-half only of the under surface of the strips by roller H, the said roller accordingly having a peripheral width equal to substantially onehalf of the width of the said strips. Guide 12, accordingly, has'apertures of a width suflicient to include the said wider strips. Pressure rollers 13 and M are similar in designand function to those of Fig. 1, it being understood, however, that but one-half of the superposedstrip, namely, the portion carrying the adhesive, is thereby bonded to the base strip. To further restrict the adhesive to one-half of the breadth of the strip, a small bead may be formed along the longitudinal center line thereof by placing a device for the purpose, not shown, between strip supply '69 and adhesive roller 1!. Embossing rolls 15 and 16, having male and female embossing dies Ti and 18, respectively, serve substantially the same function as embossing rolls 34 and 35 of Fig. 1, excepting that the peripheral width of the embossing rolls is substantially that of the planar width of the overlaid strip and the embossing dies thereof are so positioned with respect to the peripheral breadth of the embossing rolls that the recesses or pockets 19 are thereby formed in the combined half only of the superposed strip. Liquid is introduced intothe said recesses by means similar to those employed in Fig. 1. Thence the portion of the overlaid strip free from adhesion to the base strip is partially folded over by folding shoe 80, the said partially folded portion 8| being adapted to form the upper wall or cover of the liquid-carrying container.

The strip folding means is more fully illustrated in Fig. 5 which is a transverse cross-sew.

absence tional view of the folding shoe, the liquid-carrying recess, and the partially folded portion --or cover. Theelements of Fig. '5 comprise folding shoe portions 86, partially folded portion of the overlaid strip 8l, bonded portion of the overlaid strip 82, carried liquid '83, and base strip 84. Referring to Fig. 4, after the strips pass the folding shoe, adhesive 85 supplied from tank 86 is appliedto the under-surface of the partially "folded strip portionby applicator- 8?, the said-applicator being impregnated with the'adhesive and so positioned as to contact the said strip surface. Thence the folded or upper portion is further compressed by guide 88 and is combined with the fiat nonliquid-containing areas of the lower portion of the strip surrounding the recess therein by pressure rollers 89 and 90. It will be noted that upper pressure roller 89 is smooth-surfaced as contrasted to the indented surface of upper roller '52 of Fig. 1, while the lower pressure roller contains a recess 9i, similar to recess 550i Fig. l. The strip-cutting and final sealing devices of Fig. 1 may be employed to complete the apparatus of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is .a transverse cross-sectional View of the liquid-carrying container strip 92 of Fig. 4. The elements in Fig. 6 comprise upper strip portion or-cover-QS, under strip portion 94, contained liquid 95, and base strip 96, the said upper and under strip portions being bonded together.

Fig. 7 is a modification of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 4 whereby the single strip of material S'I' may be supplied pre-folded approximately along its longitudinal center line as shown in Fig. 8. Adhesive is applied uniformly to the under surface of the said folded-strip andthe latter is then combined with a base strip by means similar to those employed in Fig. l. The upper folded portion of the overlaid strip may be partialy unfolded by vertically positioned plate 98, and the portion of the tape bonded to the base sheet, together with the bonded portion of the 'base sheet, may then be embossed b embossing rolls 99 and 100, having male and female embossing dies I91 and 1-82, respectively.

Fig. 9, which is a transverse cross-sectional View of the bonded strips of Fig. 7, shows a liquid-containable recess therein including the partially unfolded cover portion 33, the bonded portion of the overlaid strip I94, and the base strip Hi5. The peripheral width of "the abovedescribed embossing rolls may be substantially equal to the width of the bonded portion of the overlaid strip. After passing between the embossing rolls, the strip assembly may be further processed by the liquid-introducing,strip-folding and cover-bonding elements of Fig. 4 and the strip-cutting and final sealing elements of Fig. 1. While Fig. '7 illustrates a single overlaid strip and apparatus for processing the same, it will be understood that a plurality of the said strips may be overlaid and processed on a base sheet of appropriate width by a plurality of the elements illustrated, positioned transversely of the longitudinal axis of the base sheet or strip.

It will be apparent from a study of the drawings that the recesses or pockets formed in the strips by the embossing dies may be of a variety of sizes-and shapes, depending upon the design of the said embossing dies. It will further be evident that other modifications of process and apparatus, not expressly illustrated herein, are possible to produce substantially similar liquidcarrying containers to those described. Among such other "modifications of apparatus may be included a vertical arrangement of the elements, the design of apparatus components capable of movement with respect to substantially static strips of sheet materials, and/or apparatus for superposing and combining a plurality of strips to form a plurality of liquid-carrying containers in such manner that the longitudinal axes of overlaid strips are transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the'base strip. It will also be apparent that substantially similar apparatus to that illustrated may be adapted to the production of liquid-carrying containers wherein the base strip is of a deformable material serving only as a carrier whichlis separable'from the said containers after their completion. In such an instance the lead acetate I6 and its containing and dispensing elements I! and I8, respectively, of Fig. 1 would be eliminated entirely. Further minor modifications of the apparatus illustrated and described would permit the production or liquid-carryingcontainers independently of a base or carrier strip. This method may be accomplished by elimination of 'the base strip and apparatus elements solely associated therewith, and the interposition of additional guides having'predeterminedly spaced recesses therein for maintaining the proper position of the moving strips of silver foil or other materials. It will be obvious that liquid-carrying containers, thus produced, may subsequently be attached to a base strip or strips as a separate process, the said base strips being of appropriate width and length and having either a flat surface or containing recesses therein, produced by embossing or other sheetdeforming devices similar to the embossing elements in the drawings herein. I

With reference to the'apparatus andoperations herein described, it has been stated and will be apparent from a'study of the drawings thatcomponents of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. 7, described as power driven, require driving power and that variations in the delivery of the said power to the said elements, for example in the application of rotative forces to rotatable elements, may therefore be required. Any such necessary driving motor or motors, and variable speed drive or drives together with associated gearing, chain and/ or belt drives, and suitable-electrical or other elements andcontrols, are not included in Figs. 1, 4 and '7 because of the conventional design of such .components, suitable for the purposes described, and 'for the reason that their relationship to the elements illustrated is believed to be rendered obvious in the description and operation of the apparatus contained herein. It will likewise be understood that suitable bearings and mountings are to be provided for the elements in Figs. 1, 4 and- 7 and that proper clearances are implied to exist between the strips of sheet materials and such elements as tanks, housings, guides and the like which are illustrated as positioned above and below the said strips.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and .in the constructions set forth which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained within the above description or shown in theaccoinpanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative :and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood :that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for providing a base material with a container releasably carrying a liquid comprising, in combination, means for superposing on a sheet of said base material, adjacent an edge of an area thereof, a strip of container-forming material impervious to said liquid, means for securing said strip to said base, means for deforming said base and said strip in the area thereof covered by said strip to provide a recess in said base and said strip, means for introducing a predetermined quantity of said liquid into said recess, means for adhering sheet material impervious to said liquid to the upper surface of said strip to form a closure for said recess, and means for severing said base, with at least one complete container thereon, from a supply of said base and said strip along a line parallel to one edge of said first-named area and normal to that edge of said first-named area adjacent which said container is positioned.

2. Apparatus for providing a base material with a container releasably carrying a liquid comprising, in combination, means for securing to a sheet of the base material the entire length but only a portion of the Width of a strip of containerforming material impervious to said liquid, means for forming a recess in the portions of said base material and said strip which are secured together, means for introducing a predetermined quantity of said liquid into said recess, means for folding the portion of said strip which is free of said base material into engagement with the portion secured to said base material to provide a closure for said recess, means for sealing together the two edges of said container-forming strip opposite the fold thereof, means for sealing said strip transversely thereof at points adjacent the ends of said recesses, and means for severing said base and said formed container along a line coincident with one of said transverse seals.

3. Apparatus for producing elongated base sheets, each said sheet being arranged for superposition with a photosensitive film and for processing of said film by providing a plurality of spaced liquid-carrying containers adjacent edges of sequentially arranged areas of said base sheet corresponding to exposed areas of said film,said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for supplying a relatively wide web of deformable base sheet material, means for supplying a plurality of strips of deformable container-forming material of relatively narrower width than said web, means for superposing and combining the said relatively narrow strips and the said relatively wide web in mutually longitudinal relationship whereby said narrow strips are spaced transversely of said sheet with respect to one another and whereby predetermined areas of the said relatively wide web are free from combination with said relatively narrow strips, means for forming longitudinally spaced recesses in each of said narrow strips, means for introducing a liquid into said recesses, means for superposing a stripof deformable sheet material upon each of said narrow strips to provide closures for the liquid-carrying recesses, means for sealing together said superposed narrow strips along facing edges thereof, means for sealing together said superposed strips transversely thereof between said recesses, and means for cutting the composite sheet thus formed transversely to provide strips of base sheet material comprising a plurality of transversely ell mounted spaced containers separated by portions of base sheet material of predeterminedlength free of said containers.

4. A process for providing a base material with a container carrying a liquid in a condition to be spread over a predetermined area of said base, which comprises applying to a sheet of the base material and to one side of said predetermined area thereof a strip of container-forming material impervious to said liquid, deforming said base in a portion of the area thereof covered by said strip to provide a recess in said base and said strip, introducing a predetermined quantity of said liquid into said recess, applying to the portion of said base containing said recess a second strip of container-forming material impervious to said liquid to provide a closure for said recess, sealing said container-forming strips together along facing edges thereof, sealing said container-forming strips together transversely thereof between said recesses, the seal on that edge of the resulting container adjacent said predetermined area being releasable by increasing the hydraulic pressure within said confined liquid, and severing said base and the resultant container from the several strips of material along. a pair of lines substantially normal to the extent of said several strips, one of said lines coinciding with one of said transverse seals and the other line coinciding with another of said transverse' seals.

5. A process for providing a base material with a container carrying a liquid in a condition to be spread over a predetermined area of said base,

I which comprises securing the entire length but to a sheet of the base material and to one side of said predetermined area thereofjdeforming portions of the base material and said strip which are secured together to provide a concavity lined with said strip of material, introducinginto said concavity a predetermined amount of said liquid,

folding the portion of said strip which is free of,

said base material into engagement with the portion secured to saidbase material to provide a closure for said concavity, sealing said ,foldedover edges of said container-forming strip together, sealing said folded-over strip transversely thereof at the ends of said concavity, said sealed edge facing said predetermined area and being releasable by increasing the hydraulic pressure within said confined liquid, and severing said base and the resultant container from the several strips, of material along a pair of lines substantially superposition with a photosensitive film and for. processing of said film by providing a plurality of spaced liquidcarrying containers adjacent,

edges of sequentially arranged areas of said base sheet corresponding to exposed areas of said film,

the steps which comprise superposing in mutually longitudinal relationship on a relatively wide strip of deformable base material a. plurality of. relatively narrow strips of deformable container,-. forming material whereby predetermined areas of the said relatively wide strip are free of said relatively narrow strips, bonding -said narrow strips to said wide strip, forming equispaced recesses along the length of each of said bonded narrow strips, introducing a predetermined quantity of liquid into said spaced recesses, superposing and bonding another plurality of containerforming strips on said first-named narrow strips to provide a plurality of covering walls for the liquid-carrying recesses, said bonding serving to seal said superposed container-forming strips together along facing edges thereof and to seal said superposed container-forming strips together transversely thereof between said recesses, the seal on that edge of each of the resulting containers adjacent its said predetermined area being releasable by increasing the hydraulic pressure within said confined liquid, corresponding sets of said transverse seals on the several container-forming strips being aligned, and severing said base and the resultant containers from the several strips of material along a pair of lines substantially normal to the extent of said several strips, one of said lines coinciding with one set of aligned transverse seals and the other line coinciding with another set of said aligned transverse seals.

7. In a process for providing a base material with a container carrying a liquid in a condition to be spread over a predetermined area of said base material, the steps which comprise superposing on said base material a strip of material impervious to said liquid, securing a portion of the width of said strip of material to said base material, applying to a predetermined fraction of the area of the portion of said strip secured to said base material a predetermined quantity of said liquid, and folding the portion of said strip which is free of said base material over said liquid and into engagement with the portion of said strip secured to said base material which is not covered with :said liquid to form a container for said liquid. I

8. Apparatus for providing a base material with a container releasably carrying a liquid, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for securing a portion of the width of a strip of material impervious to said liquid to a sheet of the base material, means for applying to the portion of said strip-secured to said base material a predetermined quantiy of said liquid, and means for folding the portion of said strip which is free of .said base material over said liquid and into engagement with the portion of said strip secured to said base material around said liquid to form a container for said liquid.

9. Apparatus for producing containers releasably carrying a liquid, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for superposing a plurality of relatively narrow strips of material impervious to said liquid on-a relatively wide strip of base material, said narrow strips being applied longitudinally of said base material in laterally spaced relationship whereby predetermined areas of the base material are free from combination with said narrow strips, means for securing only a portion of the width of each said narrow strip to said base material, means for applyign to the portion of each said strip secured to said base material a predetermined quantity of said liquid, and means for folding the portion of each said strip which is free of said base material over said liquid and into engagement with the portion of said strip secured to said base material around said liquid to form containers for said liquid.

10. Apparatus for producing an elongated strip of material adapted to serve as a base for carrying a photographically produced image, said base strip including a plurality of image areas and a plurality of containers releasably carrying a photographic processing liquid, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for superposing a plurality of relatively narrow strips of material impervious to said liquid on a relatively wide strip of base material, said narrow strips being applied longitudinally of said base material in laterally spaced relationship whereby predetermined areas of the base material are free from combination with said narrow strips, means for forming spaced recesses in each said narrow strip, mean for introducing predetermined quantities of said liquid into said spaced recesses, means for providing each of said recesses with a closure, means for sealing said closures to said narrow strips along longitudinal and transverse edges of said recesses, and means for cutting the composite sheet material thus formed transversely of its length and along lines corresponding to said transverse seals into portions comprising a plurality of containers sequentially arranged along, and extending transversely of, elongated strips of said base material.

11. The process of forming an elongated strip of a material adapted to serve as a base for carrying an image, said base strip including a plurality of image areas and a plurality of containers releasably carrying a viscous photographic processing liquid, said process comprising the steps of providing a web of said sheet material having a width on the order of the length of said elongated strip, feeding said web longitudinally thereof, superimposing on, and uniting to, limited transversely spaced areas of said web a plurality of strips of container-forming material, said container-forming strips being substantially equally spaced transversely of said web, folding all of said container-forming strips longitudinally thereof so that the two folds of each said strip form container top and bottom walls and the open edges of all said strips face in the same direction, feeding predeterminedly spaced quantities of said viscous processing liquid between said walls, sealing the open edges of said walls, sealing said top and bottom walls transversely of said strips at points between said spaced quantities of said liquid, corresponding transverse seals on each of said strips being substantially aligned along lines normal to the edges of the web, and severing said web transversely thereof along one of said normal lines to form an elongated strip of said web having a plurality of substantially equally spaced containers secured transversely to one surface thereof.

12. The process of forming an elongated strip of a material adapted to serve as a base for carrying an image, said base strip including a plurality of image areas and a plurality of containers releasably carrying a viscous photographic processing liquid, said process comprising the steps of providing a web of said base material having a width on the order of the length of said elongated strip, feeding said web longitudinally thereof, superimposing on, and uniting to, limited transversely spaced areas of said web a plurality of strips of container-forming material, each of said container-forming strips being substantially equally spaced transversely of said web, folding all of said container-forming strips longitudinally thereof so that the two folds of each said strip form container top and bottom walls and the open edges of all said strips face in the same direction, feeding predetermined quantities of said viscous processing liquid between said walls,

sealing the open edges of said walls, sealing said top and bottom walls transversely of said strips at a plurality of points along said strips to complete the formation of said containers, corresponding transverse seals on each of said strips being substantially aligned along lines normal to the edges of the web, and severing said web transversely thereof along one of said normal lines to form an elongated strip of said Web having a plurality of containers secured to one surface thereof 13. The process of forming an elongated strip of a material adapted to serve as a base for carrying an image, said base strip including a plurality of image areas and a plurality of containers releasably carrying a viscous photographic processing liquid, said process comprising the steps of providing a web of said base material having a width on the order of the length of said elongated strip, feeding said web longitudinally thereof, superimposing, on limited transversely spacer areas of said web a plurality of pairs of container walls, each said pair including top and bottom walls, said pairs being applied longitudinally to said web in laterally substantially equally spaced relation whereby predetermined areas of said web are free from superposition with said pairs of walls, securing each said bottom wall of said pair to said web, feeding predetermined quantities of said viscous processing liquid between said walls, sealing the open edges of said walls, sealing said top and bottom walls transversely of said strips at a plurality of points along said strips to complete the formation of said containers, corresponding transverse seals on each of said strips being subtantially aligned along lines normal to the edges of the web, and severing said web transversely thereof along one of said normal lines to form an elongated strip of said web having a plurality of containers secured to one surface thereof.

14. Apparatus for forming an elongated strip of material adapted to serve as a base for carrying a photographically reproduced image, said base strip including a plurality of image areas and a plurality of containers releasably carrying a viscous photographic processing liquid, said apparatus comprising means for supplying a relatively wide strip of base sheet material, means for superpositioning a plurality of pairs of container walls on said base sheet material as it is advanced from its supply, each said pair including top and bottom walls, said pairs being applied longitudinally to said base sheet material in laterally spaced relation, means for securing each said bottom wall of said pair to said base sheet material, means for intermittently applying predetermined quantities of said liquid to said bottom wall of each pair, means for forming longitudinal seals between said top and bottom walls of each pair, and means for forming transverse seals between said top and bottom walls at spaced points therealong to form said containers around spaced quantities of said liquid, said sealing means being arranged to apply sealing pressure only to said walls at said transverse and longitudinal seals.

15. Apparatus for forming-an elongated strip of material adapted to serve as a base for carrying a photographically reproduced image, said base strip including a plurality of image areas and a plurality of containers releasably carrying a viscous photographic processing liquid, said apparatus comprising means for supplying a relatively wide strip of base sheet material, means for superpositioning a plurality of pairs of container walls on said base sheet material as it is advanced from its supply, each said pair including top and bottom walls, said pairs being applied longitudinally to said base sheet material in laterally spaced relation, means for securing each said bottom wall of each pair to said base sheet material, means for intermittently applying predetermined quantities of said liquid to said bottom wall of each pair, means for forming longitudinal seals between said top and bottom walls of each pair, means for forming transverse seals between said top and bottom Walls at spaced points therealong to form said containers around spaced quantities of said liquid, said sealing means being arranged to apply sealing pressure only to said walls at said transverse and longitudinal seals, corresponding sets of transverse seals between the various pairs of top and bottom walls being aligned transversely of said base sheet material, and means for transversely severing transverse strips of said base sheet material along lines coinciding with said aligned sets of transverse seals to form elongated strips of said base sheet material having a plurality of transversely extending and longitudinally spaced containers secured to one surface thereof.

EDWIN H. LAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

